Neisseria:  N. gonorrhoea (gonococci) and N. meningitidis (meningococci)

• Gram-negative intracellular diplococci
• Meningococci can be present in patients saliva during the first 48 hours of admission.  Masks should therefore be worn for endotracheal intubation or suctioning and patients nursed in a side room for the first 48 hours if possible.
• Diagnosis can be made by looking for meningococcal DNA by PCR on EDTA samples, as well as blood cultures and CSF cultures.

Main clinical infections:      

• Meningococci:

  • Meningitis and / or septicaemia

  • Pneumonia in the elderly

  • Occasionally septic arthritis.

• Gonococci:

  • Vaginal / penile discharge

  • Pelvic inflammatory diseases.

  • Occasionally disseminated infection with septic arthritis.

Usually sensitive to:

• Meningococci:

  • For treatment: Penicillin, 3rd generation cephalosporins (ceftriaxone, cefotaxime)

  • For eradication of carriage: rifampicin, ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone

• Gonococci:

  • Third generation cephalosporins eg ceftriaxone.

Usually resistant to:

• Sulfonamides.

• Gonococci:

  • Increasing problem of resistance to penicillin so only used for treatment if known sensitive strain. 

  • Resistance to the quinolone antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin) is rising

Page last edited: 25/07/2008

Caution; the antibiotic doses recommended on this website are intended for adult patients with normal renal and liver function unless otherwise stated. Dosing advice for patients with renal impairment is available here.

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